1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to home automation and more specifically to a system and method for remotely controlling room temperature from a mobile device.
2. Description of Related Art
There has been a significant trend in the market with respect to home automation, particularly with respect to new building construction. Generally, home automation has been employed to allow for electronic control of devices systems throughout the home such heating-air conditioning-ventilation (HVAC) systems, lighting systems, security systems, home appliances, garage doors, and the like. Home automation is particularly useful with respect to HVAC systems, allowing the user to control the home's air conditioning and/or heating systems from a central unit that not only functions as a typical thermostat, but also allows for control of the home's other systems (lighting, security, etc. . . . ).
In many instances, these home automation systems employ a primary “brain” or “head unit” which is in electrical communication with the various switches and relays that control the systems within the home. The user can then manipulate and control those systems from the solitary head unit without the need to interact with the discrete controls of the specific systems. The user can also utilize the “scheduler” features of these home automation systems to allow for automatic scheduling of activation/deactivation of home systems without the need for external input for the user. Many of these systems are internet-ready and provide a means for the user to access and manipulate the “brain” from a remote location, over the internet, by way of a computer, laptop, smart phone, tablet, or other like device. These recent advances in home automation have been employed to provide improved convenience, comfort, energy efficiency and security for homeowners while also adding a bit of panache and technology to home life that would otherwise not be present.
The downside to these home automation systems, however, is the overall cost and limited versatility of the systems and devices used for such systems. Often times, for an HVAC system to be integrated into a home automation system, the user will have to install multiple high-dollar thermostats in each desired location in the home, and may need to employ more than one air conditioning unit in order to provide the desired heating and cooling in the specific room. Under these current systems, if additional thermostats and air conditioning units are not provided, then the user must rely on a single air conditioning unit and a single thermostat to provide temperature regulation inside the home. In many instances, a single thermostat will be installed in a central location of the home and, while adequately regulating the temperature within the home, it cannot precisely determine the temperature in each room of the house and alter its performance accordingly. Rather, these single thermostat systems take a “best guess” as to the air quality in the home. This means that a remote room at the end of a hall may have significant higher humidity levels and air temperature than the remainder of the home, unbeknownst to the central thermostat. Thus, to date, the only means of solving this problem has been to install the aforementioned plurality of air conditioning units married to a plurality of thermostats. While these multiple thermostat and air conditioning units can be tied into a single home automation “brain,” such an installation carries a high cost of entry, higher operating costs, and significant overall energy consumption compared to traditional single thermostat/single AC unit arrangements.
Additional complexities arise when attempting to integrate security and safety functionality into home automation systems. As with the HVAC systems, there are significant cost barriers when considering whether to install a multitude of proximity sensors, security cameras, smoke detectors, carbon dioxide sensors and the like. Often time, home owners are relegated to an “a la carte” approach where each sensor, camera and detector must be purchased and installed separately and only then integrated into the “brain” of the home automation system. Aside of the obvious cost constraints, such installations greatly increase the complexity and potential for failure of the home automation system.
There have been several attempts at providing improved systems and methods for home automation with particular emphasis on HVAC system control; however, none have solved the aforementioned problems.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,969,508 to Tate et al. describes a system and method of environmental control allowed the occupant of a room in a multi-room building sharing a single air supply with other rooms to control the temperature in his room selectively. The system employs a small remote control which is in radio transmission with a primary control unit couple to the external environmental controls which control valve dampeners and vents in the occupant's room. Thus, while providing some basic level of customizable control, the system in Tate provides no automatic functionality such as automatic temperature control and cannot be readily integrated into a modern home automation system accessible by a mobile device.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,386,461 to Gedney describes an HVAC unit being controlled by one or more thermostats in response to switch the setting of which is controlled by dual tone multiple frequency signals sent from a regular telephone over ordinary phone lines. While providing remote communication ability, it does not allow for independent room temperature detection and control and also does not provide a means for wireless remote actuation.
U.S. Application Publication No. 2005/0159823 to Hayes et al. describes a home control and automation systems and method that allows for the control of the household devices that includes internet-enable capability. While providing certain networked and integrated home automation features, the system lacks the ability to provide independent room temperature control.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,839,654 to Weber describes a system for wireless control of an air conditioner or space heat by a remote thermostat combined with a control signal transmitter placed near the user. In some embodiments, a wireless control receives responsive to the transmitter is included as a portion of a plug-in adapter that plus directly into an AC outlet and an ordinary plug from the air conditioner unit is plugged into the adapter for remote on/off capability. While providing remote actuator of an air conditioning unit, the system in Weber lacks internet-enabled functionality as well as home automation functionality. It also does not provide a means to pool air temperatures to provide more accurate temperature regulation.
It is, therefore, to the effective resolution of the aforementioned problems and shortcomings of the prior art that the present invention is directed. However, in view of the HVAC home automation technologies in existence at the time of the present invention, it was not obvious to those persons of ordinary skill in the pertinent art as to how the identified needs could be fulfilled in an advantageous manner.